Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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667AM YANKEE II

In 1977 the "K-140" submarine was equipped with the first D-11 Soviet sea based solid-fuel missiles and received the designation 667AM Yankee II. The 12 P-31 missiles loaded on the submarine could be fired from a depth up to 50 meters. The torpedo tubes could be reloaded in less than in one minute using a "dry" launch technique. Its submerged displacement increased to 10,000 tons.
The project was developed in the Leningrad Design Bureau "Rubin" for testing a new solid-fuel missile R-31. Development of the project was carried out under the leadership of O. Ya Margolin.

Conversion project 667AM was allocated the second ship of Project 667A - K-140. Because of the greater mass of solid rocket missile, the number of silos was reduced to 12. External differences were to reduce the length and height increased aft superstructure.

Modernization works started at the shipyard "Zvezdochka" in Severodvinsk in 1973. The first launch of the P-31 on board the K-140 took place on 26 December 1976 from the waters of the White Sea.

In mid- 1990 an order was issued the Ministry of Defense of the disposal of all missiles R-31 shooting method. For start-ups were selected 10 missiles, 6 more were disposed of on land. Launches continued to Sept. 17 on December 1 , 1990, all of them were successful.

On December 17, 1990 K-140 was sent to Severodvinsk for disposal.

It is a complex D-11 solid-fuel missile R-31 (RSM-45, Western designation SS-N-17) - "child" Leningrad KB "Arsenal".
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Let me remind you that the plant "Arsenal" dates back to Peter the Great founded in 1711 Cannon foundries. Almost all of the three-century work "Arsenal" is associated with the development of Russian artillery from the first tools Petrine era to modern automated shipboard artillery systems, missile systems and unmanned spacecraft.
In the late 1950s in KB "Arsenal", work began on the design of the first combat missile systems (BRC) with solid strategic ballistic missiles. In accordance with the Government Order dated September 9, 1958 the Bureau initiated the development of the Republic of Kazakhstan D-6 with solid-fuel missile, designed to equip prospective missile.
However, the creation of composite propellant required address the complex scientific, technical and technological problems, which at the turn of 1950-1960 were still "not equal to" Soviet rocket science. Emerged and a number of purely organizational difficulties. As a result, in accordance with the decision of 4 April 1961 on the program of work of the D-6 were discontinued. Since 1961, created PBRK (mobile missile systems) with solid-fuel rocket RT-15 medium-range missiles.
The same government regulation SKB-385, received in 1966 the name of the open Engineering Design Bureau (KBM, now - SRC "CB them. Academician VP Makeev"), was instructed to begin work on a new solid fuel "outboard" of the D -7 with a rocket RT-15M (4K-22), centered on a new submarine project 667A. In this case, all the technical documentation prepared by the "arsenaltsev" program D-6, passed SKB-385.
It was assumed that the missile RT-15M will have a launch weight of 50 tons (more than three times the mass of the American SLBM UGM-27A «Polaris A1") and 2,400 km range. Work on the D-7 were brought to the stage throwing test, but in 1962, when the customer demanded an increase of ammunition missile (and hence reduce the size of the missiles), interest in the program gradually began to fade, and in 1964 it ceased altogether from -this inability of developers to stay within the new requirements.
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Accumulated by 1970, the experience of creating solid rockets allowed KB "Arsenal" under the leadership of P.A.Tyurina come up with a proposal to develop BR for a modernized nuclear submarine project 667A. The initiative has received support from Leningrad, and in the early 1970s, in parallel with the work of the MSC upgraded liquid missile R-27U, "Arsenal" was given the task to develop the D-11 solid-fuel missile R-31. New SLBM with a launch weight of 26,840 kg had a range of 4200 km (circular error probable order of 1400 m). Originally it was intended to equip both monobloc and multiple reentry warhead (MS), but later abandoned by the latter option, limiting monoblock warhead capacity of 500 Km.
Project submarine under the D-11 was given the index "667AM" (code "Navaga-M»). It was developed at the Leningrad design and installation Bureau "Rubin" (LPMB "Ruby") under the leadership of O.Ya.Margolina. Due to the increased weight of the missile submarine 667-year project has been possible to place only 12 BR new type.
Externally the modernized ship differed from SSBN Project 667A aft superstructure having a somewhat smaller length and greater heights. Increased and the total displacement of the submarine.
The launch was carried out by means of gunpowder battery with a depth of up to 50m without filling the mine water (which increased stealth combat use, since noise is triggered by water in the annulus, unmasked ship during prelaunch). Start was possible at sea to 8 points. All ammunition shoots for one minute single gulp. Prelaunch time was 3.5 minutes.
Conversion project 667AM identified submarine K-140 - the second ship of the project 667A. The submarine was built in the Northern Machine-Building Enterprise and was made part of the Northern Fleet December 30, 1967. Works on modernization of nuclear-powered began at the shipyard "Zvezdochka" in Severodvinsk in 1973.
The first launch of the P-31 on board the C-140 took place on 26 December 1976 of the White Sea. During the test boat were two firing at maximum range (over 4000 km). To this end, the submarine had to go to the northern tip of Novaya Zemlya, and from there to the parallel of north latitude 77¦ shoot in combat field "Kura" in Kamchatka.
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In conclusion, the commander of the Northern Fleet, dated September 14, 1979, the D-11 gave the following response: "The tests have generally shown good performance, high rate with a small-time training, safety of use and ease of maintenance, adoption of a set ... will expand the military opportunities Ballistic missile submarine pr.667A continue to introduce solid operating experience ballistic missiles with a view to its use in the design of future prospective missile systems. "
Actually, "the accumulation of experience" and all limited: Boat upgraded K-140 remains the only one of its kind. In 1978 he entered the Navy adopted a modernized complex of D-9D with advanced liquid RSM-29D, which has a range of up to 9100 km, as well as increased accuracy (CEP of about 1000 m). Complex D-11 in 1979 was admitted to the trial operation, which lasted for 10 years. In the West, the boat was designated project 667AM Yankee II.
Industry issued a total of 36 series of R-31, 20 of which were spent in the process of testing and practical shooting. In mid-1990 an order was issued the Ministry of Defense of the disposal of all missiles of this type (such as those on board a boat, and in warehouses) by shooting. Launches lasted from September 17 to December 1, 1990, all of them were successful, once again demonstrating the reliability of the domestic arms. A December 17, 1990 K-140 went to Severodvinsk for cutting metal ...
With regard to contemporary realities, when the current troubled state of the Russian military-industrial complex is not necessary to divide the design teams to "their own and others'. It is necessary to combine the experience and knowledge of all developers SLBMs and create a weapon worthy of Russia.

19 April 1990 in accordance with the contract SALT-1 K-140 was expelled from the Navy.
C September 17 to November 30 1990 K-140 completed 4 out to sea for disposal 16 missiles R-31 by shooting. 10 rockets were fired successfully, 6 missiles for various reasons, have been disposed of on the beach. After shooting missiles K-140 was immobilized in Severodvinsk . The first crew was disbanded only in 1997 .
In 1997- years in 1998 after cutting reactor compartments missile cruiser K-140 was butchered on the metal. Some relics with him now kept in the museum of FSUE "Zvezdochka".